


Combat Training

by ODeorainFan2150



Series: Moicy Week 2018 [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Boxing & Fisticuffs, Day 3 - Gentle/Harsh, F/F, Moicy Week 2018, Pre-Fall of Overwatch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-05 04:54:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15856620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ODeorainFan2150/pseuds/ODeorainFan2150
Summary: Physical combat can bring out the other side of people.Moicy Week 2018 - Day 3 - Gentle/Harsh





	Combat Training

Angela lay in the darkness, watching thin strips of light play across the floor as the rising sun hit her blinds. She was always an early riser but today’s morning tasks filled her with dread. She hated combat training. She hated having to spar with people. She hated anything that reminded her of the things she might have to do other than heal people and took her away from her actual work in the lab or medical wing. On the other hand, it was something that her usual partner, Cadet Oxton, really did enjoy. Apparently, she’d chosen it as part of the exercise regime to prepare for Project Slipstream, preferring it over the gym sessions that had originally been recommended. As she put it, “standing in one place doing one thing just seemed boring.”   
  
Her alarm now pinged again, pulling her out of her reverie. Carefully she pulled on her combat uniform - fatigue trousers and an Overwatch shirt. Before stepping out of her room and heading to the training room, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail, perfect for keeping it out of her eyes. Grabbing her kit bag, she set off through the base.   
  
The training room was full of agents, cadets and support staff getting the morning session done. Around the edge of the room were groups doing PT, running back and forth. A few others were in the attached gym lifting weights - she could spot Reinhardt’s massive form in there while the occasional laugh told her that he was making the most of this opportunity to tell stories. 

The main group was up on the crash mat covered floor, split into pairs with everyone wearing padded helmets and gloves. The sparring was all about learning to move, avoiding being hit and then striking back with fists and feet. Angela sighed again thinking about how this could be better spent in the lab working on her project before donning her own gear from her bag. 

A quick glance around soon found Lena. She was already shadow boxing while another Overwatch agent, his hair styled with a small mohawk, looked on and offered advice. The winged dagger tattoo on his shoulder gave away why she’d pair up with him - Lena always enjoyed a chance to talk with some of the guys from Hereford that Overwatch had managed to poach.   
  
In the centre of the crowd, Reyes was holding court and seemed to be enjoying himself. He rested his hand in the front pocket of his sleeveless hoody and gathered the group into dole out instructions.   
  
“Right everyone, change of routine. Rather than your usual opponents, I’ll be mixing up your sparring partners to bring a new dynamic. You won’t be fighting the same people all the time in real life so it pays to get used to having to deal with different fighting styles.”   
  
“Kidd, you and your god awful haircut are up against Cadet Oxton. Hopefully, she’ll beat some sense in you so think more carefully next time you’re at the barber's”. Angela noticed Lena breakout in a grin and playfully punch the agent she’d been chatting with.   
  
“Dr Ziegler, you’ve been doing well but I think you need more of a challenge. Moira should be something different to face” Reyes leaned in closer to Angela “Besides, I’m sure you’ve been wanting to work off some related stress”   
  
Moira O'Deorain was technically Angela’s superior when it came to the research side of her role. She mainly seemed to spend her time reading all the notes Angela generated and then deciding to fund based on what she found, more often than not sending it back covered in red marks requesting additional data or modifications.   
  
Angela had never really worked with Moira in these sessions and so had never seen her outside of her usual lab coat based outfit. She was surprised to see she had gone for a black tank top over her fatigues instead of a shirt, reveal her pale and freckled shoulders, and seemed to have gone out and bought her own protective gear. Both helmet and gloves were in matching purple with yellow highlights, a colour scheme Angela had noticed she liked to use elsewhere. Moira said nothing but simply nodded, stepping up to face Dr Ziegler.   
  
Angela now found herself up against a different proposition to usual. With Lena, they were a similar height and reach, meaning that all Mercy normally had to do was to block and wait for her opponent to tire herself out. Moira, however, was an unknown. The first point was that she was much, much taller with longer arms. Angela could see she’d need to get in close to avoid being hit. She also seemed to know what she was doing, moving much more than many of the other fighters.   
  
The first few rounds were remarkably tame, with Angela’s enthusiasm letting her land a few good hits. Moira though seemed bored and uninterested, barely throwing any punches. She seemed content to be battered around. Eventually, after a few rounds, Angela snapped.   
  
“God damn it, Moira. if you’re going to train with me at least do it properly and stop wasting both our time. I can see you pulling your punches. Just hit me” Angela was breathing heavily, partially from the exercise but also from rage “I can take it”   
  
This tirade seemed initially to do nothing to Moira, who just stood there, as calmly as she had before. Eventually, she just nodded and then adopted the starting stance. Angela could see a glint of steel in her eyes. Maybe that outburst had been a mistake.   
  
Barely was she in her own stance when suddenly a fist came flying in. Mercy moved to block but then she saw this was a feint. Moira’s right hand came in and slammed into her padded face covering. The second blow came in from the left and hit like a freight train. Angela could feel herself leaving the ground before she crashed onto the mat and into darkness.   
  
When she came back around, she was staring directly at Reyes’s face. He seemed concerned. Other heads soon appeared next to his including a frightened looking Lena who seemed to be trying to get her helmet off. In the distance, Moira seemed to have barely moved from where she had stood, a slight look of horror on her face   
  
Reyes fixed Angela with a look “I’d tell you to go see the doc but seeing as you are her, I’ll find someone else to look you over. Lena, go help her to the changing rooms”   
  
Lena started to move towards her but Angela waved her off, mumbling something under her breath. She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the room.   
  
\--   
  
Inside the changing room, Angela collapsed onto one of the benches. As she leant forward to get her bag, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.   
  
Despite the padding, she had a small cut just above her cheekbone. Around it, a bruise was starting to develop. The other side was also starting to swell slightly. She could see this was going to be a mess to treat. Maybe the nanobots she’d working on could fix this. Unfortunately, they couldn’t fix was how much of an ass she had made of herself in front of the whole group. She should have seen that the pulled blows were just part of her training.   
  
Someone else entered the room, causing Angela to snap around and stare at them. It was Moira - she had taken off her protective kit and seemed to be carrying a first aid pack. In a way that Angela had never seen her act, she also seemed to be slightly nervous.   
  
Moira coughed before she spoke. “I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I’ve got a kit designed for dealing with injuries like this if it’s easier for someone else to take a look”   
  
Angela didn’t know what to say so she just nodded. Moira came over, sitting Angela on a bench and placing her kit out on the side. First out were a pair of ice packs. Without speaking, she pressed one into each of Angela’s hands and guided them up onto the bruises on her face.   
  
“Apply pressure”   
  
“Where did you learn to hit like that?” Angela asked as she held the pads in place.   
  
“Two older brothers. You pick up a few things both from the roughhousing and then from making sure the roughhousing didn’t make anything worse. Came in handy when I started helping out at the boxing gym during university for a bit of extra cash in pocket"   
  
There was another pause   
  
“You know I could just go down to the lab and use the nanobots to fix this..” Angela started but then tailed off   
  
This prompted a smile from the taller doctor “If these are the nanobots I've been reading about for the past few months, by the time you’d configured them you would have gained a scar on your cheek. Not sure that’s what PR really is going for with the face of Overwatch”   
  
Happy that the swelling had been reduced, Moira pulled the ice pads away. She went back into her kit and pulled out a stitching tool. “This, on the other hand, will be much quicker and more effective.”   
  
As she worked, Angela noticed a change come over Moira. The fists that had pummeled her were now relaxed into fine tools, dancing over damaged skin and bruised flesh. Her touches were delicate, careful to avoid inflaming the bruises she could feel on her cheeks.   
  
There was a pause in the activity as Moira looked over her handy work. The stitching was very thin, barely visible “I’m sure you probably know better than me the aftercare you’ll need so I’ll leave you to get changed. Come to see me if you need the stitches redoing. Hopefully, we’ll be able to spar against each again now you know what you’re up against.”   
  
“Oh don’t worry, I’ll be back for round two before you know it” Angela could feel some of her confidence returning. She ran her fingers over the stitches as Moira left, getting ready to return to work. Maybe she’d be more excited about combat training in the future.   
  
**Years later...** **  
**  
Moira lay in bed, the sunlight streaming in through gaps in the blinds. Next to her in the bed, she could feel Angela slowly breathing, still slumbering. Rolling onto her side, she found herself face to face with her partner.   
  
Being this close, Moira found herself studying every contour on the blondes face, from the curve of her chin to the shape of her eyes. As she followed the top of her cheek, she noticed something. A tiny scar, barely visible under most conditions but still standing out from her skin.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: Minor edits on 29/09/18 to improve readability and reduce incomplete sentences.
> 
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